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Warlike behaviour draws condemnation

Coincidental with the previous posting on a new Jewish group calling for a just solution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, comes this piece in the SMH on a survey of how various countries around the world are viewed:

"The mortal enemies Israel and Iran share common ground as the world's most reviled nations, according to a global poll that has confirmed a slide in the reputation of the United States.

Its "use and pursuit of military power" was a negative influence on the world, the poll found, as was North Korea, which tested a nuclear weapon late last year.

The BBC- Herald survey - of more than 28,000 people in 27 countries - has revealed that with most of the world, Australian opinion was strongly against Israel, Iran and North Korea. But in the Middle East crucible, heated by the rhetoric and actions of Tel Aviv and Tehran, public support was with Iran, which in 2005 called for Israel to be "wiped off the map". There were even some positive feelings for North Korea."

"People around the world tend to look negatively on countries whose profile is marked by the use or pursuit of military power," said Steven Kull, the director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, which conducted the poll with the polling firm GlobeScan."

Comments

Michael said…
Interesting.

Israel has never tested a nuclear weapon, never tested a nuclear capable ballistic missle, and never threatened to wipe any country off the map.

Iran, which has done all of these things, get better PR.

What a crock.

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